The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-10-15
A STRANGE TALE.
\ German with His Wifrani Family
Sold as n Slave in Nucaian.

Michigan, embodying the extraordinary
story of Ernest SchocltZc, who was i
lahOrer in a coal mine in Germany IL
1866. In that year Schoclize. with his
wife and one child, was induced to sal
for Yucatan, under contract 10 receive
So per day as a laborcr. There we've
100 other families III the party. When
the vessel reached Yucatan the entire
party were sold into slavery for $50, geo.
/ SchOeltze and his family were carried
into the interior of the country, where
they We're put 10 work on sugar and
and tobacco plantation. The men and
women were allowed cents per day for
tN,ir work, together with cents worth
of meal to each member of family.
This one article constituted the diet OF
the slaves, while the 6 cents per day was
supposed TO furnish the other necessa-
ries of life. This was in the closing
year Of Maximilian's brief reign in Mex
leo, and the whole country was in con-
dition of more or less disorder in conse-
quence. Every person travelling upon
a highway entering Il seaport town was
obliged to carry pass from the proper
officer, stating where be was going and
where he was from and the route he was
to take, and should he get outside of the
stipulated territory he was subject 70 an
rest and imprisonment. Escape, there
fore, from their bondage was next to
impossible.
After Schocltze had been il slavery
several months detachment of one of
the cOntending armies III Mexico at that
time made a raid into Yucatan, destroy
ing and capturing property and Selling
the slaves, who were transferred to Cam
peachy, the capital of the neighboring
province of the same name, where ther
were set to work upon Notifications.
The war soon after came to an end by
the downfall and execution Of Maximil-
ian, and the slaves were set ut liberty.
Hearing from an agent of some sugar
planters that work, at good wages, could
families were induced to go there. Again
were their hopes blasted. The agent
turned out to be another slave hunter,
and the whole number were again sold
as slaves, the 10 families being sold for
$50. BY this time, one and half
years after their arrival in America, Mr..
Schoeltze had acquired good general
knowledge of the Spanish language and
had familiarized himself with the habits
and customs of the people and the geo.
Sraphy of the country, and determined
to make his escape. In the meantime
two children had been born to Them.
and their sufferings were very great.
Not being able to purchase clothing with
fl,A oil
their work, they were compelled to work
in the boiling sun of torrid zone with
nothing to cover their backs. In this
manner their backs became a mass of
burns and running sores, upon which
they were compelled to carry large loads
of sugar and tobacco, they performing
the work of beast of burden as well as
that Of man.
Having determined upon plan of as
cape, Mrs. SchoeltZe feigued sickness
accompanied with deliriu,n. She and
the children were transferred to hospi-
tai az Campeachy, and after some time
Schoeltze obtained permit FROM his
owner to visit them. Here he succeed
ell In hiring Il sailor to take himself and
family i'll a small boat to the neighbour
ing island of Lagona, whence he inallv
reached TobSscO. Thence it was only a
question OF :. short time and the earn
ing the necessary means before he found
his way to Vera Cruz, Havana, snd Bal
timore successively.
Soon after he reached and settled at
East Tawas, few miles from Oscala,
Mich, where he has been respectable
citizen for the past fifteen years, and
latterly has engaged in the business of
burning lime. He is about fifty years
OF age and now has a family of seven
children. His romantic story bears
every evidence of entire truthfulness,
as names and dates correspond exactlY